Improvement in flying targets



E. REDMOND. Flying Target. No. 220,254. Patented Oct. 7,1879.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMOND REDMOND, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT lN FLYING TARGETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 220,254, dated October7,1879; application filed August 18, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDMOND REDMoND, ofRochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New 'York, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Flying or Ball Targets, whichimprovement is fully set forth in the following specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to supply a flying target, to be shot atwith shot-guns, rifles, &c., that will be more convenient to use thanany other existing, leaving, when broken, no dangerous fragments on theground, showing instantly the effect of a shot by bursting with areport, being so portable that a hundred of them may easily be carriedin a coat-pocket, and moving when projected in the air moreinresemblance of a bird in flight than any other style of target in use.

The invention consists of a small elastic bag of rubber or othersuitable material with a weight attached to it for maintaining momentum.The bag may be spherical, or of any desired shape, and should have anorifice or neck through which to introduce air for inflation. The weightmay be inserted in this neck or orifice, and attached securely andair-tight to the bag. There should be a hole through the weight, throughwhich to blow air into the bag, and on the end of the weight, inside thebag, there should be a valve, to prevent the air escaping when the bagis inflated until the latter is broken by shot.

The valve may consist of a strip of rubber tied over the orifice in theweight, 0, Fig. 5, orof a flap of rubber, D, Fig. 4:, one half of whichis cemented to the weight, allowing the other half to rest over theorifice. Either of these valves is opened by blowing air into the bag,but closes when pressure outside ceases.

The target may bejmade by using the bag described and a valvelessweight, F, Fig. 2, which weight is tied to the bag by a string, G. Inthis case the bagshould be inflated through the wooden mouth-piece E,Fig. 2, which has a valve similar to O, and is inserted air-tight in thebag.

The weight F, which need not weigh over an ounce, is tied to the bag bya string of any desired length. When the weight is thrown it carries thebag behind. Two bags can be tied to one weight at difterent distancesfor double shooting. a

The target could be made to consist of two distinct bags, oblong inshape, each air-tight and independent of the other, but closely attached and inflatable at a common orifice. If one of these bags alonewas hit by shot, the other would wabble like a wounded bird.

In the drawings, A represents the bag, B and F the weights, and O and Dthe valves.

When the bag is not inflated, A, Fig. 3, it occupies little space, butwhen one wants to shoot at it he blows in air by his month until it isinflated to any desired extent. The target is then ready for use and maybe thrown by hand or by any of the various traps used for throwing glassballs, &c. It may be collapsed without breaking by pushing in the valvewith a piece of wood, &c.

I am aware that collapsible rubber balls containing material inside toimpart momentum have been used as targets, and I do not claim such atarget. The use of a flexible link between the weight and rubber bagimparts to the latter a vibratory motion unknown in other targets, butvery desirable.

I claim- In a flying target, the combination of an elastic collapsiblebag, a valved mouth-piece, a flexible link, and weight, Fig. 2, for thepurpose and substantially as described.

EDMOND REDMOND.

Witnesses:

OWEN REDMOND, EDWARD M. REDMOND.

